


No Haven Safer than the One They Tore Down

by archergwen



Series: The River Goes Where the Water Flows [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Gen, Let Sokka say fuck too!, Let Zuko Say Fuck 2020, One-Shot, Zuko accepts he has more than one (1) braincell at least a whole season early, and as consequence, experiments with formatting, maybe saves the world a little early, two middle fingers up at Zhao and a sweet kickflip into Treason
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:01:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26090800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archergwen/pseuds/archergwen
Summary: Zhao's smiling, and something in Zuko finally breaks.
Series: The River Goes Where the Water Flows [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1895833
Comments: 21
Kudos: 410





	No Haven Safer than the One They Tore Down

**Author's Note:**

> Title from "Rain in Soho" by the Mountain Goats, off the album "Goths" which is great for our drama boy.

Zhao is smiling, smarmy and triumphant. Just looking at it is enough to make Zuko want a shower, using the crewmen's showers if he has to, to scrub himself red and raw to get the feeling of it off him. It's much worse knowing the smile is because Zhao is poaching Zuko's crew.

Something in him breaks.

In that small, endless moment, he thinks it might be his heart. That most of it had already been broken, and now the final thread has snapped.

A quest to end banishment was normal. Traditional, even, for members of the royal family. Complete the task. Overcome obstacles set before you. Prove it; prove that the Fire Lord's mercy was wisdom. That what they saw in you - the possibility for redemption - was there, acknowledged by Agni, and nurtured into a true flame.

But Admiral Zhao - he had not been an obstacle until the Avatar appeared. There had been no obstacle set in his path. He had assumed it was acknowledgement of the difficulty of bringing a legend back to life and then to heel.

If Father had ever meant for Zuko to succeed, Zuko would eat Zhao's muttonchops.

For Zhao was here. Taking his crew. And trying to take Uncle. There would be no way for Zuko to continue his search. And Zhao, who'd already tried to kill him, a minor, was assuredly doing so again - abandoning him in a random port with no money, no support, and no way to get either of those for himself. And Zhao was smiling about it. The sick fuck.

Zuko swallows down the chasm opening beneath him and smiles back at Zhao. "Well then. Since it is an order from Father himself, who am I, his loyal son, to disagree? You will, of course, be covering the docking fees."

Zhao's smile wavers. "Docking fees?"

He pulls the idea of an arrogant prince tighter around him. "Of course. I may be a credit to my country, but do you think I can sail this ship on my own? I cannot be in three places at once, Admiral, and you are taking my whole crew."

The older man's smile resharpens. "I might need the ship as well, you see. We are invading the North Pole, after all."

"I do not think Father's orders will allow you to seize royal property."

Zhao opens his mouth, but Uncle steps in. "The _Wani_ is indeed Zuko's personal ship, in his ownership."

The Admiral scowls. "I still don't see how that makes me responsible for docking fees-"

Zuko can cut with his smile, too. He hopes. "You wouldn't want your future Fire Lord in debt to some backwater Earth Kingdom dock master, now would you? You are sailing off tomorrow with my only access to funds, and dock space here is valuable."

"You want me to enable your rust bucket sitting here into eternity?"

Uncle is definitely a lot a better at dangerous smiles. "Admiral, surely you intend to return the crew to Zuko once the invasion ends?"

Caught, Zhao looks like he swallows a lemon and makes a non-committal answer. Zuko is past caring, and gestures out the door of his quarters. "If you'll excuse me, I need to take a walk." There's a pause, and when no one moves, he adds, "Aren't you going to leave?"

"I thought you were, your highness," Zhao says, twisting the last word like a knife.

"You want your future Fire Lord walking alone in these streets with no support looking like this? I need to change."

"Why don't we discuss some details in my cabin, Admiral- excuse me, Commander. What a great honor for you! I do not know of anyone who rose so fast through the ranks as you, in all our history. Come, come, I have the most delightful lotus blend-"

Uncle's voice trails away into silence as he guides Zhao to his quarters, and Zuko stifles a giggle. Uncle's only lotus blend on board right now is the most bland tea in existence, probably. But Zuko has no time to think about tea. He's gotta pack light and pack fast, and then change.

* * *

Admiral Zhao looks over his third cup of utterly tasteless tea at the old general. It's been several hours, and he really should be going. He has pirates to meet and other plans he doesn't want the old fool to know of. The prince just needs to come back.

"Where is your nephew?"

He interrupts the general, but the man doesn't seem offended. Fool.

From his little seat on deck - the old man had insisted they get some air for their second cup and had brooked no argument about returning inside - the old general turns to a man emerging from below deck.

"Lieutenant Jee, have you seen the prince since he left for his walk?"

The lieutenant's armor creaks as he comes to attention. "No, sir."

The old general dismisses him, turning back to tea. "Hmmm. Most unfortunate. If he's been gone this long, Zuko must have run away or died." The old man makes another considering sound, and then shakes his head. "Anyway, more tea, Commander?"

He really is going to be stuck paying for this ship to stay docked here for the invasion; it's too small to be of use against the Northern Water Tribe.

"Should we not go after him?"

The old general appears genuinely confused. "Why would we do that?"

Zhao, mentally crossing off a few things from his to-do list, accepts the fourth cup of tea and that the old fool really doesn't care to go looking for either his nephew or his nephew's body.

In the Fire Nation's biggest case of "takes one to know one" (not that anyone will ever know, as self-awareness is a bitch), Zhao thinks, _sick old fuck._

* * *

Katara is determined not to let it bug her, that despite all her efforts to train and prove herself she is still sitting out the fight.

Sure, watching Aang is important. He's determined to find some sort of non-violent solution - to the invasion booming too close, to the Fire Lord, to everything - and as his friend she ought to help him. As a good Tribe member, she should trust this Northern chief's instincts that left her to watch Aang and Sokka watching over Yue.

Her brother was probably way too happy about this.

All those men of the Tribe were out there, fighting, while an incalculable number of ships with who knows how many men were came to do their best to destroy everything. It was deeply unfair that she wouldn't get the chance to fight, if everything went well for them. Which, they had the Avatar, so everything would be fine, which meant she wouldn't get to fight at all.

"Uh, hi. Um, it's Zuko-"

Katara wheels on one heel, drawing her water from her pouch to turn her arm into a knife. Of course, of course, of all the people to sneak in - how did he get in!!?? - it would be the jerkbender Prince Ponytail himself. This time, though, Aang wasn't here. He was in the Spirit World and couldn't stop her. She was going to end this threat. Permanently.

Only, Zuko falls to his knees without taking a step away from the icy walls, and Katara pulls back. Unlike him, she has honor. She wouldn't hit a man ~~teenager~~ on his knees.

"I have come to warn you, to offer a temporary alliance, as Admiral Zhao is coming here."

"That's a little obvious," Katara snaps.

"No, I mean, he's, Uncle thinks, ugh, let me start over. Uncle thinks he knows something about this oasis? And he's coming here specifically. That the Avatar being at the North Pole is just a bonus for him."

"Let me guess, you're here to make sure he gets the Avatar? Well, you're not going to take him, because this time, I'm going to stop you for good-"

"You don't understand!" He's still on his knees. Why won't get off his knees and let her stick him full of icicles- "Zhao doesn't just want the Avatar." His eyes land on Aang, glowing with the light of the Spirit World. "And if he did, I don't think he could restrain himself, and just capture him. I think he intends to kill him. He's just a kid; he doesn't deserve that."

Sokka snorts. "And what did you think Daddy Dearest was gonna do with him?"

"My father is a reasonable man, and-" The moment Zuko sees Yue, he drops into a full forehead-touching-the-ground bow before righting himself. "Princess Yue, I presume?"

"Indeed," she replies the hint of amusement in her voice. "Would that we were meeting in better circumstances."

"Yeah," Zuko looks aside. "I don't know if we'd ever get any better." Any further words are cut off by a crash and shouting right outside the oasis door. "Fuck! He can't see me; he'll kill me for sure."

"Why would he kill his own prince-"

Yue cuts Sokka off. "Never mind that! Katara? Please hide him?"

She smirks at the Fire Nation prince. "Of course." She drags a heap of snow from the wall onto the prince, and as an afterthought bends three small holes for his eyes and mouth. If he's glaring, she can't tell, but she gives him a vicious wink and finger to the lips anyway before she turns away.

The door flies open.

* * *

His sister put up a great fight against three firebenders, but the two soldiers are holding her tight as Admiral Mutton Chops stalks towards the oasis and Aang's body.

Not that Sokka can stop him, either, as his whalebone club and body are all that's between two more firebenders and Yue. They're slowly advancing, and he's slowly backing up. He won't make the first attack - if he thought Boomerang would help this close up he would - so as long as Yue can keep retreating he will.

"Come on, kid," one of them starts, voice not really muffled by the grate in the faceplate. "This is an invasion. We gotta take the royal family into custody."

The other adds, "It's just how these things are done. You don't have to-"

"I've always known I'd have to," he spits back, adjusting his grip.

The firebenders freeze. Sokka uncomfortably settles into a ready stance as everyone in their little corner realizes Sokka misunderstood and the ending of that bender's sentence wasn't going to be "die." He has a breath to see Zhao bend towards the oasis - _and the adults have a breath, the adults in armor and fully trained staring at a kid as young as their prince, with an incorrect grip on that club, standing between them and his princess saying he'd always known he'd have to die, die by Fire Nation hands-_

 _-Something in them breaks_ \- when a voice startles all of them.

"Zhao! Stop this madness!"

The world goes red.

* * *

Katara's heart is in her chest. She can't feel the water. She can't feel the water! The Fire Nation bastard has the Moon Spirit in a bag, and how, how could they ever make up for this insult? She can barely pay attention to the words thrown back and forth, but she catches when the old man's eyes widen and Zhao's empty hand fills with fire.

That's when Zuko bodily slams into him.

Zhao drops the Moon Spirit, and, as he twists to grab at Zuko, kicks Aang into the koi pond.

The man who must be Zuko's uncle punches flame at one of the soldiers holding her. Katara slams her foot down onto the other soldier nearest her and wins a moment of freedom to start punching herself.

* * *

Yue _moves_.

* * *

_Fuck, Zhao's good._

Zuko has never been good at grappling. And now he's picked a fight with a man bigger than him, stronger than him, and who already wants him dead.

Fuck, that's one shoulder dislocated.

But he can claw and scratch, throwing elbows and knees into soft parts, and pinching, try to claw eyes out of Zhao's face.

He does not do well.

It's almost a relief to be thrown again the stone arch. It helpfully pops his shoulder back into its socket. Maybe. His head also hit the stone pretty hard. But Zhao doesn't come stab him in the heart. Through the haze of pain he's trying to shove aside and get back up to his feet, Zuko can see Zhao - who is bleeding from his face, just not missing any eyes dammit - yanking Yue back from the koi pond by her hair. The Avatar floats face up, still glowing, and Yue must have returned the fish back to the pond because they're both circling Aang now.

Zhao already has the princess on her knees, but he yanks her head back again. Exposing her neck.

Zuko struggles to his feet.

She spits in Zhao's face.

Zuko takes a step forward and almost throws up.

Zhao lights a hand on fire again.

* * *

Black scales brush against a glowing hand.

* * *

Sokka has no idea what to make of the two firebenders. They drew swords, once the jerkbender slammed into Mutton Chops and world went back to color, but their hearts don't seem to be in it. There is no way Sokka should be holding his own against two trained soldiers with a weapons he's really only gotten training with since he got to the North Pole - and then he did skiv off to see Yue so. He regrets that.

"The fuck?" One whispers in horror, looking past him and dropping her guard. Her partner joins her staring. Sokka steps to their side before looking. He's not an idiot. Mostly.

Zuko - who looks like he got the shit kicked out of him- is staggering towards Zhao, who looks like he's preparing to shove fire down Yue's throat.

Aang, fuck, is standing up from the koi pond, water beginning to swirl around him, building him up like layering snow onto a snowman. But the levels of the pond aren't lowering-

The spirit koi fish pond.

Across the way, Katara and the old firebender hit the ground in supplication, and the firebenders Zhao brought as back-up _(wearing the naval insignia, they know and need the Ocean and Moon)_ do, too.

Great. More spirit woo-woo bullshit.

* * *

## YOU DARE

Zuko scrapes up a little more strength and kicks out Zhao's knee. His fire extinguishes in shock as he drops -the princess twisting and wrenching hair free and scrambling away to safety- and Zuko gets a hand on the flesh just inside Zhao's collarbone. He kicks the Admiral's other knee, and with a push down he brings the man to his knees before the swirling mass of blue containing a glowing Avatar.

## YOU ATTACK MY BELOVED. HER CHOSEN. HER BROTHER'S CHOSEN.

## THE BRIDGE. YOU DARE.

"Honored one," Zuko begins. "He will make amends for his crimes-"

## TO STRIKE AT YOU. THAT. I COULD IGNORE. BUT MY BELOVED?

## HER CHOSEN? NO.

"Honored Ocean-"

Zuko is interrupted as Zhao slams his head back into Zuko's sternum, and he staggers back, letting go of the Admiral and -as the pain makes the world swirl around him- falling to a knee.

This saves him.

Zhao looked away.

The Ocean's head extended, teeth growing.

Zhao looks back.

He is snapped up by a leopard-shark's maw.

The Ocean grows taller.

Zuko passes out.

* * *

 _they are bowing - leave them_

## I LISTEN, LITTLE BRIDGE

 _they do not all need to suffer_

## BUT I MAY SUFFER?

 _no, no, no one should suffer-_

## THEN YOU WILL NEVER METE OUT JUSTICE, LITTLE BRIDGE

 _this is not justice_

## AND YET I AM OWED

 _no no! there's so many of them! they didn't know!_

## AND THEY WILL NOT KNOW THEY ARE DEFEATED

 _there's...._

 __

 __

..

## another...

##  _WAY_

* * *

__Lieutenant Jee has seen enough stuck with Prince Zuko that by the time the glowing blue monster breeches the walls of the Northern Water Tribe and comes for the fleet, he's got his ship turned around and running full speed, messenger hawks flying to nearby ships advising the same course._ _

__Lieutenant Moroki simply slips the message into a different hawk's tube and sends it on, setting his own course far away from here._ _

__Lieutenant Nokobi pulls out her spyglass as the helmsmen frantically turn about. The moon had shimmered, and the monster shuddered. She is intrigued. She watches the blue monster pull his hand back, not lifting a wave like it had started to, but clutching something dark she can't make out._ _

__The monster's head turns, and meets her gaze through the glass._ _

__It throws - too fast for her to track the object - and she's suddenly sure she and all under her command are about to die._ _

__There's a thud, and people start screaming._ _

__She's already running, sliding down to the maindeck. No alarms are blaring, but when she takes in the sight, the broken body hurled halfway through a steel deck, it takes all her training to slam down on shock and give the order. "Man down! Admiral Zhao is dead!"_ _

____

* * *

Zuko comes to with a groan and ice overhead. He tries to get up, but strong brown hands shove him back down. The Southern waterbender -Katara he thinks- is eyeing him something fierce. "You are supposed to stay down! You took a nasty blow to the head and we kept you under to heal it up. So don't move, unless you plan to empty your stomach."

She turns that gaze towards the rapid patter of feet. "Yagoda told you to stay down, too! Chi exhaustion is no joke and-"

A bright, happy, _tattoo-on-forehead_ face fills Zuko's vision. "Can you teach me firebending?"

"What the fuck?"


End file.
